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Tour de France doping scandals provide 'entertainment' for fans
Spoken like a true American (see Chris Horner's comments below), lol!
- Tour de France doping scandals provide 'entertainment' for fans The Associated Press Sunday, July 29, 2007 PARIS: All the doping drama at this year's Tour de France may have added to the excitement. Alexandre Vinokourov and Cristian Moreni both tested positive, Michael Rasmussen was kicked out for allegedly lying about where he was when he missed tests, and German rider Patrik Sinkewitz was caught out by a pre-Tour test. For 35-year-old American rider Chris Horner of the Predictor-Lotto team, this Tour seemed like a Hollywood-style melodrama. "It has been a crazy Tour de France, but it has been an exciting one, too, for us as riders and I'm sure for the fans," Horner, who finished 15th, said Sunday. "It's been exciting, the racing and, of course, the drama outside." The Tour was certainly not short of talking points. "Everybody's got something to talk about," Horner said. "It's not really what you want to see but it's drama. There's no arguing that. Some of the racing has been affected by the drama, with Vino (Vinokourov) of course taking the time trial stage and the other road stage." Horner says cycling observers will feel like they had a good deal this year. "I think people got what they really wanted ... entertainment," Horner said. "If you were really watching for entertainment, they certainly got that." ___ SO MANY TESTS: Cadel Evans feels other sports have an easy time when it comes to doping tests. Evans finished second at this year's Tour, behind winner Alberto Contador of Spain. "We have so many tests and so many stringent tests," the Australian rider said Sunday. "Any other high-paying sport in the world ... if they had the tests we had, they wouldn't have any competitors left." Hundreds of tests were conducted at this year's Tour. ___ TIME TO SPEAK OUT: British rider Charles Wegelius thinks more riders should speak out against doping. "In the peloton, nobody talks about what's happening," Wegelius, who finished 45th, said Saturday. "People just talk about cars and stuff. Anything to avoid talking about it." Wegelius wants cycling in a healthier state. "I'm sick of it," Wegelius said, referring to the numerous doping scandals that have rocked this year's race. "I wish we could just talk about cycling, about sprint finishes and breakaways." ___ RAISIN CLOSE TO RETURN: American rider Saul Raisin could resume competitive cycling later this year. Raisin, the Credit Agricole rider who fell into a coma 15 months ago after crashing in a French stage race, has passed medical checks. "He did the French medical checks," said Raisin's Credit Agricole sporting director Roger Legeay. "I went to see the specialists in Bordeaux and they gave the all clear." The American rider has already competed in amateur races and now hopes to take the next step. "He is going to do the U.S. championships in the time trial," Legeay said. "Then he will come back to France for the team photo and he should start next season." |
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